When Should You Introduce Fruiting Conditions?

“When should I put my monotub into fruiting conditions?”

This is one of the most common questions I get from my readers. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t always as straightforward as the question. Due to the variance in genetics, environmental considerations, and the grow chamber itself, this timeframe may vary widely from one grower to another.

The generally accepted time frame from colonization to the fruiting phase is approximately 10-17 days. However, this is a rough approximation, and unfortunately, there is no predetermined time for when you should induce fruiting conditions of your mycelium block. Rather, it is best to visually inspect the surface of your mycelium for tell-tale signs that it is ready for fruiting.

One of the best indicators of this is the formation of hyphal knots and/or pins on the surface of the substrate. These can be seen in the photos below.

These tiny white dots are the mycelium binding together forming the very beginning of the mushrooms’ development. 

Once there are visible signs of these tiny white dots forming on the surface of your mycelium cake, it is likely time to begin introducing fruiting conditions.

Pro tip – If there are only a few hyphal knots forming, increasing FAE by a minimal amount has shown to increase the amount and frequency of pin formation, thus resulting in a fuller flush